GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The 2014 Grandwich competition sandwich prepared by The Bistro at Courtyard by Marriott is a vast improvement over last year’s entry.

The Bistro, an often-overlooked downtown lunch option located on the ground floor of the Plaza Towers complex at 11 Monroe Ave. NW, was my second stop on the Grandwich Top Ten Tour. I'm tagging along this year with Todd Chance and John Serba.

There’s a lot to like about the Grilled Caprese Sandwich at The Bistro. It eats like a grilled cheese sandwich because, well, that’s what it is. But it’s definitely not your standard lunch staple.

Anyone with an appreciation for fresh mozzarella should give this one a whirl. There’s lots of it on the sizable-portion sandwich, made with grilled heirloom tomatoes and caramelized onions between a couple slices of basil oil-brushed sourdough bread.

The cheese was the main attraction here and the vegetarian sandwich was an overall satisfying experience for a carnivore like myself. The flavor of each ingredient came though without overwhelming one or the other. No meat, no problem.

My only quibble, and a minor one, was the slight sogginess on the bottom bun from the grilled tomato juices. Given the nature of tomatoes, this is likely unavoidable.

The whole plate was an appetizing experience this year. I didn’t even dig into the sandwich right away, as I was drawn first to the side of fried asparagus that was lightly-battered and drizzled in balsamic reduction. Yum.

The lighter option is a big upgrade over last year’s Grandwich entry, a brined pastrami brisket offering that ended-up being little more than a greasy mess when I stopped by on the 2013 Top Ten tour.

Bistro staff said the all the food improved after the eatery hired a new chef.

Bottom line: I’d order this sandwich for lunch if the staff added it to the menu, but maybe not every day. With a drink, it put a $15.85 dent in my pocket.

Grandwich competition finalists will present to the public on Friday, Aug. 1 between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. on at Rosa Parks Circle in downtown Grand Rapids. The winner will be announced that afternoon.